Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-07-08
mo" she responded, "aI is the


Pichon shouted, as the men appeared;
and Don't pass before the vent hole!
solemnly repeated the soldiers to those
behind Soon the whole troop was vlsi-
BILE to the young woman, hundred
strong, each man carrying in his belt 2Oo
cartridges, and led by Lavigne himself.
Placing his men in line around the
house, with liberal space before the hole
leading to the cellar, the major COM
mandant valiantly entered the house to
inform himself as to the strength and at
titude of the enemy, now SO quiet that 1t
seemed as if they had flown. Pounding |
heavily upon the door above the prs
oners' heads he called aloud: IN
Officcr-M. Prussian Officer-I wish to
speak to YOU" The German did not
reply. /" It's funny" said Lavigne to
himself, every funny" pounding again
| and receiving no response. For twenty
| minutes more he continued to call upon
them-to knock and pound and summon
| them to surrender, but without the slight
| est sign from the enemy of either consent
| or hostility.
| In the meantime the soldiers cooled
| their heels in the snow outside, faithfully
guarding the vent hole, slapping their
hands to keep them from freezing, and
with a childish but constantly increasing
desire to cross before it simply because
sorbidden to do it.
Suddenly one of them, holder than the
rest, and who ran like deer, made the
attempt. 1t was successful; the impris-
oned Prussians seemed as if dead. En-
boldened by their comrade, another and
another followed in his steps. 1t had
become a game, or race for lie IN
which the devil could take the hindmost
They had lighted a tremendous fire to
keep themselves from freezing, and the
ruddv glare of the flame fell full upon
the laughing faces of those prankish
guards as they voyaged rapidly from left
to right and from right to left again. All
at once some one called out: "Matheson.
it is now your turn; come, hurry, my
boy; hurry up!'
Now, [ must tell you that Matheson
was the baker of Rether, an enormously
fat man, whose inflated stomach, big as
an ordinary balloon, furnished unending
merriment for his frolicsome comrades.
He hestated and tried to draw out of the
race, but they jeered and Knocked him till
he, too, started, breathless, and with
little mincing steps that shook his paunch
like jelly, across the intervening space.
The whole detachment laughed until
they cried, shouting and urging him on
with storm of bravas and encouraging
words
Half way across the open space large
red flame darted from the vent hole, a
sharp detonation followed, and the big
Rether baker fell upon his nose, with q
ball in his thigh. AS no one rushed to
succor him he dragged himself on his
hands and knees until out of reach Of the
balls, then quietly tainted away, more
from fright than pain of the wound, foi
the ball had scarcely more than plougheo
the flesh below the thigh bone. At the
sound of the musket shot the major com
l manclant rushed from the house.
''Tinsmiths!" he roared, "tinsmiths
come forward"
: A man, followed by two others
I stepped from the ranks and stood befor
!, the commandant. Take the gutter
d from the house, said he, "and brins
II them here"
e A few moments later twenty metre
o of water pipe lay at his feet. Then
3 with thousand precautions, hole wa
chopped in the corner of the trap door
IS the end of the pipe inserted and TIL
3 other end fastened to the spout of tn
pump.
,, 1.-The Prussians can stand a grea
II DEAL cried NJ. Lavigne with a beamin
Is smile, '.but it remains to be seen if the
can stand the drink we shall give them
is Pump, my boys, pump with will, AM
n with a wild hurrah the men obeyed
lie Soon silvery stream of water howet
along the tubing and fell to the cellar be
r low with the murmuring of a summe
N cascade. Hour after hour ran by, an
g. still the water fell, and still the enem
D. held the ground, though every now an
ID then a stamping of feet and curses lou
I'd and deep came from the depths below.
he About O'Clock in the morning a voic
suddenly came from the cellar calling fo
- the commandant. Il wish to speak m
I'D him at vonce." "Do you surrender?
ne shouted Lavigne bending to the floor. 81
We SO, pass up your arms" A hand come OF
of the hole and musket fell at his fee
lis another and another, until finally voic
lis cried: "We hat no more, make hast
IS, and stop tie pump; we trown NIT water
OF The commandant had the pun
ok stopped, and the soldiers, crowding abol
Cne trap as tne DoiuS were WlCnuraWl
n watched the Germans ascend, six viii
ng heads with water soaked hair and ha
lis drowned stare in their pale blue eyes.
to AS they feared to be surprised Il
ng Rethelites did not linger, but started f
ng the city, one half of the column bearir
III between them the shivering prisoner
at the other half bearing Matheson e
to tended upon mattress supported
Ter poles.
os- For the bravery and gallantry wi
nJ which NJ. Iavigne had captured ''tl
ep advances-grard of the Prussian army
as Rethel papers quoted it, he was de
'ur grated with the cross of honor, win
he Matheson received medal For Bert
~. inc nothing could be done; she was on
lde a woman, and it was impossible to ado
'he ner as warrior. Translated from t
as French of Guy de MallpasSant for Nc